12.1.08 – Costa Maya, Mexico

Banditos on the prowl. Mahahual, Mexico

For the past eight days, I have been on an assignment in Mexico working on a number of small projects which added up to a very, very hectic time.

The first job/opportunity that I had was to exhibit my work at the Museum Pelopidas in Cancun, Mexico. Because of the tight turnaround time and difficulty in shipping my work down to Cancun, I decided instead to take on the challenge of mounting and framing my prints within a day.

The night’s exhibition was excellent with press coming from all around Mexico to cover the show. Also – it was the first time I ever got to do a spoken presentation with a translator. It was an interesting process, getting to be slower and more methodical with the words that were to be delivered. One of the biggest lessons learned: humor – especially the dry variety – does not carry well across languages.

The second job was to photograph the opening of a newly-renovated port of call for cruise ships that had been destroyed by hurricane Dean two years earlier. Seeing the destruction line in the jungle created by the massive wave-surges was utterly surreal.

And finally, I snapped off a couple Rolling Exhibition shots so that I could cover a new country and continent.

Day nine was packing up from Cancun (after touring through the smaller towns of Mahahual and Bacalar) to fly back to New Zealand. And so now, here I sit – watching a cloudy spring day roll overhead as the clock ticks down on my first writing deadline. 70 pages by Christmas! And with that, I’m going to put some of these words to the manuscript instead of online.

Oh, and a P.S.

Clearly my hope of keeping this up for a weekly schedule has been lacking. So to compensate, here are some stills from the week. I’m currently editing together a video about how to build a gallery show in Cancun in one day and will be posting it next week.

A damaged road sign outside of Mahahual, Mexico. Another sign of the lingering destruction left by Hurricane Dean.

Cesar Lizarraga escorts the captains of two Dutch cruise ships to the official re-opening of Costa Maya.

I take the leap of faith into a water-filled sinkhole in Bacalar, Mexico.

Rolling Exhibition photo. "Three Boys; Mahahual, Mexico"

http://na Cissy Locke

I find you and your work very interesting. You are an inspiration to all. Hats off to you.

Paulo

Your story is amazing, i am a mexican guy with your same age… would like to make you lot of questions.. try to answer please..

Rem

You’re such a spectacular person. More places to go, more people to inspire … keep moving Kevin!

http://www.gardengoose.blogspot.com Tina

oh I just love all those fake moustaches on those wee kids..how funny.what a fun image.